Kentucky Online Casinos

With the Kentucky Derby taking place annually to much fanfare, your first thought might be that Kentucky is fairly lenient when it comes to gambling within the state. This is confusing because Kentucky, in many regards, is one of the most conservative states in the country. Despite this, Kentucky has a storied history of gambling and was known as being the United States’ top gambling destination for a while.

Even though places like Las Vegas and Atlantic City have superseded Kentucky as gambling destinations. Even while this much is true, there are still plenty of casinos and other gambling locations located throughout the state. In addition to this there is also a strong presence of online casinos as well, even if the laws surrounding these casinos is a bit murky and confusing. All in all, Kentucky is a great place for gamblers no matter what type of gambling you would like to take part in.

Is Online Gambling Legal in Kentucky?

Like a majority of states in this country, Kentucky does not have any laws on the books that allow for the establishment of online casinos within the state. While this may initially lead you to believe that playing casino games for real money online may get you in some legal trouble, nothing could be further from the truth.

Ever since online casinos were first established more than a decade ago Kentuckians have been able to play as much as they want with as much money as they want. No matter how many horror stories you hear, the fact of the matter is that Kentucky law enforcement has never busted down the door of someone’s house simply because they decided to play a few rounds of roulette for real money online. These very same horror stories are amplified by the fact that Kentucky is one of the most conservative states in the whole country.

As for what the future holds, that much is not so clear. With how accessible gambling is in the state of Kentucky, you would think that the next most logical step is to set up an intrastate online casino network. Unfortunately, up to this point any effort to establish such a system has not gotten very far.

This much more than likely speaks to Kentucky’s conservative roots. Despite this, state residents will find that playing real money casino games online is no challenge at all. In addition to the classic online experience, players also have the option to play casino games on the go as well. Nowadays, most of the casinos offering their services to residents of Kentucky also offer mobile platforms that allow you to gamble on your smartphone and/or tablet so long as you are connected to the internet. So while it is disappointing that Kentucky has not legalized nor regulated online casinos, it really shouldn’t be something that deters you from playing.

Legal Status of Brick and Mortar Casinos — Kentucky

As it stands, there are no full casinos in the state of Kentucky. People who wish to gamble at full-scale brick and mortar establishments are going to have to travel to states like Ohio or Indiana. With that being said, most horse tracks—and there are many—offer other forms of gambling apart from simply betting on the results of a given horse race. These places are still a far cry from traditional brick and mortar casinos with regard to the number and variety of games that they offer. For many Kentuckians, it is frustrating that a state that is so full of horse betting does not allow for other forms of betting. There are so many other states that offer a multitude of gambling methods at their racetracks, however Kentucky has held firm and has made it clear that gambling is not going to run rampant across the state.

There have been murmurings about Kentucky setting up state-run brick and mortar casinos, but these are nothing more than rumors. As it is with many other Southern states, the overwhelmingly Republican constituency means that any efforts to promote legalized gambling—whether it be online or at brick and mortar sites—are going to be met with a lot of resistance. We have seen that over the past decade and fully expect to see much of the same going forward.

For those who do not necessarily need to the full casino experience, the fact of the matter is that they will have plenty of gambling options no matter what part of the state that they call home. Once again, with how conservative the state is I would not hold my breath when it comes to establishing any brick and mortar sites. This is why playing at online casinos seems to be the most viable option for Kentucky citizens. This is not the worst thing in the world, however we understand that it is preferred that online casinos are regulated and licensed by the state in which they are being played.

Kentucky Online Casinos & Gambling FAQ

Is there are regulated online horse race betting regulated by the state?

Even though Kentucky is about the most horse-obsessed state in the country, there is no online, regulated system by which you can place bets on horse races. Of course, with the excessive amount of online casinos catering to horse bettors, Kentucky residents should have no issues placing bets on any and all horse racing events.

Will my funds be seized/taken if I try to cash out?

The short answer to this is no. So long as you are working with a reputable casino that follows the rules of the United States, you will have absolutely no issues cashing out funds. The two best methods by which you can receive your winnings are through a mailed check or by way of direct bank transfer.

When will regulated online casinos become a thing?

Regulated online casinos have been talked about in Kentucky for a while now, but next to no progress has been made with regard to the establishment of an intrastate casino network.

How safe are Kentucky online casinos?

So long as you do some research and are playing at a site that has gained a solid reputation for yourself, you will have no issues whatsoever. The key to this, however, is that you need to put in the time to figure out what sites are worth playing at and which ones are not.

Are there a wide variety of games offered at Kentucky online casinos?

This too depends upon the site you are choosing to play at, but most often you will find that there is no shortage of games being offered. Whether it be slots, blackjack, roulette, or even live play, modern casinos, especially those who have gained solid reputations, always work to provide a wide variety of games.